The primary purpose of the Foster Grandparent Program is to provide meaningful volunteer opportunities for low income individuals age fifty-five years or older to provide supportive services in health, education, welfare, or related settings to help alleviate the physical, mental or emotional problems of children having exceptional needs. Volunteer stations where Foster Grandparents are placed include public agencies, private non-profit organizations, or proprietary health care agencies or organizations. Foster Grandparents are individuals who bring with them years of experience and a willingness to reach out and help others. Their role is to be a grandparent in every sense-a caring and stable presence in a child’s life.
The goals of the Foster Grandparent Program are:
- To enable low income individuals age fifty-five years or over to remain physically and mentally active and to enhance their self esteem through continued participation in needed community services;
- To enable children with exceptional needs to achieve improved physical, mental, emotional, and social development.
The program is part of AmeriCorps, although it is sponsored and hosted by Hudspeth Regional Center.
